Paper detail

Accretion Disk Temperatures of QSOs: Constraints from the Emission Lines

QSO emission-line spectra are compared to predictions based on theoretical ionizing continua of accretion disks. Observed line intensities do not show the expected trend of higher ionization with higher accretion disk temperature as derived from the black hole mass and accretion rate. This suggests that, at least for accretion rates close to the Eddington limit, the inner disk does not reach temperatures as high as expected from standard disk theory. Modified radial temperature profiles, taking account of winds or advection in the inner disk, achieve better agreement with observation. This conclusion agrees with an earlier study of QSO continuum colors as a function of disk temperature. The emission lines of radio-detected and radio-undetected sources show different trends as a function of disk temperature.